A/N: Okay, I know that this chapter is epically short, but I intended for it to be this way. This is a strictly emotional chapter, and it needed to be very strong and to the point. That being said...enjoy...

Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Rings.

Chapter 11

Legolas stabbed an orc with one of his knives and looked about. The fight was ending, and the remaining wargs and riders were being chased away. His eyes searched for his friends. The first he saw was Gimli and he walked over to the dwarf who was standing near the cliff.

"Aragorn!" he called. He looked around and noticed that another was not here…no. "Anariel!" he called and for the first time he began to feel pure, genuine fear.

"Aragorn? Anariel?" Gimli whispered.

Legolas and Gimli walked closer to the edge of the cliff when they heard a wheezing laughter. They both spun to see a dying orc. "Tell me what happened and I shall ease your passing!" Gimli threatened.

"They're," he paused to cough. "Dead," he finished before he laughed evilly. "Took a little tumble off the cliff."

Legolas looked toward the edge of the cliff before he grabbed the orc by its armor. "You lie!" he said and for the first time in his life his voice was acidic.

The orc simply chortled one last time and died. Legolas looked down and noticed something silver clutched in his fist. He reached for it, and he swallowed when he realized what it was. Arwen's necklace. He ran to the edge of the cliff and looked down fearfully at the rushing water below. No sign of Aragorn…or Anariel.

"Get the wounded on horses. The wolves of Isengard will return. Leave the dead," Theoden ordered.

Legolas looked at Théoden, an expression of perplexed anger on his face. "Come," Théoden said putting a hand on his shoulder.

Legolas and Gimli both continued to stare at the rushing water below. Finally Gimli looked up to Legolas to find that his eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "Come on laddie," Gimli said as dabbed his wet eyes with his beard.

When they finally rode into Helm's Deep, Legolas was numb. He couldn't think. He simply stared unseeingly. Not only had he lost his closest friend, but he had lost the woman he loved. It wasn't fair. Of all the years of his life, he had never felt so content than he had in these last few months. Was this what Galadriel had been talking about? Surely not. He'd never been faced with a decision. He'd never had to choose. He'd fought by himself. Had he missed something? Was this somehow his fault?

"Make way for Théoden!" Gamling cried. "Make way for the King!"

Vaguely he saw Eowyn rush forward, "So few. So few of you have returned."

"Our people are safe," Theoden replied as he dismounted. "We have paid for it with many lives."

"My lady…" Gimli said as he approached Eowyn.

"Lord Aragorn, Lady Anariel, where are they?" Eowyn asked hesitantly, glancing at Legolas, who had dismounted but remained by his horse.

"They fell…" Gimli choked and Eowyn felt her eyes fill with tears.

She looked at Théoden who nodded, confirming what she already knew. Eowyn looked back to Legolas, but found that he wasn't there. She looked around, but the elf was nowhere in sight. "Where is Legolas?" she asked.

Gimli looked around, "I don't know lass, but I'll find him."

Gimli set out to look for the elf. He finally climbed up the wall where the archers would line up in battle. When he reached the top he found Legolas sitting on the wall, his feet dangling over the side. He was shaking and Gimli knew that he was letting out all the grief that he'd held in. Gimli didn't know what to do. Should he leave him be? Obviously, the lad wanted to be alone, seeing as how he was up here. But could he also want a friend? Gimli decided it would be best to leave him be for the moment. He could come back later.

Legolas was grateful when he heard Gimli leave. As much as he'd come to like the dwarf's company, he did not want it at the moment. He didn't know if he wanted anything anymore. What could he do? What could he have done? Nothing. The word rang in his mind. Nothing. He should have been there...somehow. He should have never left her. He should have made sure she was safe. Then still, if he had done that, Aragorn would still be gone. How could life be so cruel?

In all his years he had never felt so cheated. Not only had he lost his best friend, but he'd lost the only woman he'd ever loved. He knew that he would never be able to love another. Never. Anariel was too special…too dear to him. He remembered when he'd first laid eyes on her. He had immediately been entranced with her. She'd stared straight into his eyes, something that others rarely did. When she'd stared at him, he'd felt like she could see his every flaw…but then she'd smiled. It was like breathing after that. She was funny. She was kind. She was passionate. She was caring. She was a fighter…and she was a lover. She was also gone. Forever.

I made Legolas cry! Shame on me! I know that this is short, but I just felt like it needed to be. And I couldn't leave you with a cliffhanger and then resolve it the very next chapter...that's not nearly as much fun! Muahahahaha! :)

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ArthursCamelot